June marks National Indigenous History Month, and the RAIC is proud to be involved in many activities to celebrate:

The RAIC has partnered with NVision Insight Group to offer an Indigenous cultural awareness training program for the architecture community.

“In light of the recent heart-breaking news of the 215 children buried at a former residential school in British Columbia, now more than ever, it is important for our community to learn and understand our collective history and the impact that residential schools and colonialism have had and continue to have on First Nations, Metis, and Inuit communities across the country,” states John Brown, FRAIC, President of the RAIC.

Learn more and register for the course here..

Together with the Canadian Urban Institute, Engineers Canada, National Trust for Canada, Canadian Society of Landscape Architects, Urban Development Institute and Urban Land Institute we explore city building and placemaking from the Indigenous perspective.

Film Screening & Conversation with Douglas Cardinal: Architect of the Future

June 2021 marks the 25th annual National Indigenous Peoples Day, first declared in 1996 to celebrate the unique heritage, diverse cultures, and outstanding contributions of First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. This year, join us for an exploration of urbanism with Indigenous practitioners, some at the onset of their careers, and others at the forefront of the discussion.

Date: June 21, 2021

Time: 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. ET

In follow up to the RAIC ‘Bringing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples’ event on April 29, 2021, the RAIC Truth and Reconciliation Task Force Board liaisons Dale Taylor and Jill Stoner interviewed Task Force Co-Chairs Patrick Stewart and Alfred Waugh about the motion for RAIC members to adopt the Declaration as a resolution at the 2021 Annual General Meeting (AGM) on June 30,2021. More information about the motion can be found in your AGM package.  

Read the interview here.   

• The RAIC has launched two new working groups – stay tuned for future messages to receive updates on their ongoing work:

       Long Term Care Design Working Group

       Fees and Procurement Working Group
  
  

• An update on the RAIC response on the National Infrastructure Assessment: As you may know, the Government of Canada announced the beginning of consultations for the first National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA) in late March. It is the first time in Canada that such an initiative is being undertaken. It represents a strong opportunity to influence the government's decisions, from the definition of infrastructure to the solutions on how to reach its GHG reduction emissions targets, and a more just and equitable society.

  A sincere thanks those individuals and organizations who participated in our survey, reached out to provide feedback, and were a part of our stakeholder roundtable to shape our submission to the NIA. We have listened and reviewed all contributions and will share our submission in next month’s newsletter.

• The RAIC released a statement about the Kamloops Residential School. Read the Tk’emlúps te Secwépemc Press Release here.

• The Metro Vancouver Network hosted its first RAIC Architecture Talk – Wellness and Architecture in the Time of Covid-19 with Lynn Webster, FRAIC, and Rudy Friesen, FRAIC. Missed the event? No problem, watch it on-demand here.

• The RAIC is planning an event with City of Edmonton on Zoning and Equity. Stay tuned, more information coming soon.

The RAIC is pleased to announce the release of Episode 2 of its new RAIC Podcast on Architecture. The first season focuses on climate action and architecture in the lead up to the RAIC Congress on Architecture on October 4, 2021. 

In this season’s second episode, RAIC Congress on Architecture Steering Committee member Bianca Dahlman talks with Dr. Harriet Harriss, Dean of the School of Architecture at the Pratt Institute, about the publication Architects After Architecture and the Climate Crisis curriculum at the Pratt Institute School of Architecture.
 
You can access the first two episodes of the RAIC Podcast on Architecture on-the-go through your favorite podcast app.  

Conference month is underway but there is still time to sign up to attend the RAIC International Indigenous Architecture and Design Symposium. Hosted by the RAIC Indigenous Task Force, the Symposium focuses on Indigenous representation, narratives, and collaborations.

Join the latest conversations on RAIC Connects:

RAIC Member Community

• Architecture is Infrastructure: Biden's $2.25 Trillion Infrastructure Bill

• CHOP: Introduction to the 3rd Edition Webinar

Thank you to all the individuals and firms who have generously sponsored a book for this new collection. There is still time to support this project and to reach our target to build a comprehensive book collection about architecture for children and adolescents. Sponsors are welcomed from any individuals or firms from across the country.

Deadline to sponsor a book extended to June 30.

New COVID-19 Resources 

The Canadian government continues to consider COVID-19 a serious health threat, with the risk to Canadians considered high. The RAIC continues to prioritize the health, safety, and well-being of the RAIC community. We strive to share credible information on COVID-19 with our community and has engaged with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) to share high quality information with our community. Links in this section of resources have been collected in collaboration with the PHAC.  

• Are there common side effects of the COVID-19 vaccines?
• COVID-19: Life after vaccination
  
• COVID-19 vaccines: We can all help by getting vaccinated (video)
• National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI): Workplan 
• Animals and COVID-19
• Hard-surface disinfectants and hand sanitizers (COVID-19): List of disinfectants with evidence for use against COVID-19
  
• Vaccines for children: Deciding to vaccinate
  

Travel Restrictions, Exemptions and Advice

• COVID-19: Travel, testing, quarantine and borders
• COVID-19 mandatory hotel stopover: Plan and book
• Mandatory quarantine or isolation (Quarantine and testing exemptions for medical treatment)
• Driving to Canada: COVID-19 testing for travellers
• Flying to Canada: COVID-19 testing for travellers
• Crossing the border or transiting through Canada
• COVID-19 mandatory hotel stopover: Apply to be a government-approved hotel
• Mandatory quarantine or isolation
  

The RAIC welcomes everyone to the organization. We are committed to equity and justice as well as inclusion across race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability and age.